The Central Michigan Chippewas are a college football program in Division I FBS, representing Central Michigan University (CMU). CMU currently[when?] has the 30th highest overall winning percentage of programs currently playing in NCAA Division I.[2]

The Chippewas have played in five bowl games in the last seven years, drawing 60,624 fans in the 2007 Motor City Bowl. CMU has played a total of eight post-season games (conference championships and bowl games), winning six. All have occurred in the past seven years.

Many notable coaches have contributed to CMU's culture. Some include legendary "Wild" Bill Kelly who won seven conference championships in sixteen years and whom Kelly/Shorts Stadium is named after; national championship winning coach Roy Kramer who had a 72% winning percentage and never had a losing season in more than a decade; College Football Hall of Fame coach Herb Deromedi who is the winningest coach in MAC history[citation needed] and Brian Kelly and Butch Jones who combined for three MAC Championships in four years, four consecutive bowl appearance and top 25 finish in the nation.

These archrivals first met in 1907 and have faced one another annually since 1943. Since the two schools are separated by a two-hour drive, the visiting team typically has a strong fan and student presence at the game. The winner of the game receives the Cannon Trophy.[4] The outcome also helps determine the winner of the Michigan MAC Trophy, a trophy fought over between Michigan's three MAC football teams: the Chippewas, the Broncos, and the Eastern Michigan Eagles.[5] WMU leads the series overall 49–39–2.[citation needed][when?]

Central Michigan has the largest on-campus stadium in the Mid-American Conference,[7] seating 32,885 fans and has been playing home football games dating back to 1896. The Sporting News has named Kelly/Shorts Stadium "the finest football facility in the Mid-American Conference" and "the best game day atmosphere in the MAC".[8]

The East End of the stadium (as of 2014) once again hosts the CMU Student section backing the football team.[citation needed] The Chippewa Marching Band, cheerleaders, and dance team add to the game day experience[citation needed] and has helped CMU become one of the nation's winningest schools at home with a .714 winning percentage all-time at Kelly/Shorts Stadium.[citation needed]

CMU drew a capacity crowd of 35,127 fans for the Central Michigan–Michigan State game televised on ESPNU[9] and has hosted schools from the ACC, Big Ten, and Big 12 conferences. Future opponents at home include schools from the Big Ten, ACC, Big 12, Pac-12 and Mountain West conferences.[10]

In 2010, the CMU Board of Trustees designed and set course to construct a state of the art stadium expansion to integrate a hotel, restaurant, and conference center connected by a glass atrium to new stadium suites on the east side. This addition will be custom-built into Kelly/Shorts Stadium.[11]

Newer upgrades include a video scoreboard standing six stories and featuring two video replay boards—one facing into the stadium and a second board facing outside the stadium by tailgating areas. NFL-quality permanent lighting has been installed for television and future ESPN night games.[12]

The traditional greeting of "FIRE UP CHIPS!" heard amongst Chippewa fans, students and alumni around the nation can also be heard on game day and throughout the stadium.[citation needed] The Chippewa nickname is used with the consent and support of the nearby Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe, who have a positive relationship with the university.[13]

The CMU football helmet logo has evolved from a "Chippewa Indian spear and feather" to a "Flying C" representing the CMU Chippewas.

The CMU pre-game entrance signals the beginning of another great Chippewa football contest by filling the stadium with the name itself, loud and clear: "OO-WAH . . . CHIP-OO-WAH!"[citation needed]

The Fight Song, "The Fighting Chippewa" (Words and Music by Howard Loomis, Class of 1935), can be heard after a Chippewa score: " FIGHT, Central down the field, FIGHT for victory, FIGHT, fellows never yield; We're with you, oh varsity. Onward with banners bold, to our colors we'll be true, FIGHT for Maroon and Gold, Down the field for C. M. U."